For years Michael Felker has worked as both an editor and short film director. His editing career has been closely linked to the work of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, with him having edited all of the duo’s films with the exception of their debut, Resolution. Now, with Things Will Be Different, Felker transitions to feature director and writer. He is keeping Moorhead and Benson close as their company, Rustic Films, helped produce the project.
It quickly becomes apparent exactly why the relationship between Felker, Moorhead, and Benson has worked so well over the years, as the three have very similar voices. Things Will Be Different taps into the indie sci-fi drama that Moorhead and Benson have become synonymous with, and the film feels almost like a cousin to the works of the directing duo.
Things Will Be Different stars Adam David Thompson and Riley Dandy as estranged brother and sister, Joseph and Sidney. The pair haven’t spoken for a number of years, but are reunited after Joseph persuades Sidney to help him commit a crime that will see the two of them set for life. This crime itself happens off screen before the film begins; Felker instead focuses on the rather ingenious aftermath. In order to evade the cops, Joseph has found the safest of safe houses, one that has the ability to hide people in time. As the pair begin to wait out the clock in an undisclosed time period, they find themselves the focus of a mysterious group who are intent on preventing the siblings from returning to their present.
The time-machine quality of the house is an early hook to grab the viewer’s attention. In order to make it operational, there are various steps that the two must complete. It’s a quirky routine that easily demonstrates that you have to be in the know to unlock the house’s secret. This is a key component in making the time-travel component of the story work. It also helps keep the FX budget down. Once Joseph and Sidney have travelled to their mystery spot in time, attention shifts to their relationship. The two have been separated for so long that they have become strangers. Much of Felker’s film then hones in on trying to reconnect the pair. This work is carefully done, Felker putting consideration into every scene, making sure that any reunion is worked for and earned.
The performances from both Adam David Thompson and Riley Dandy are superb. The two make believable siblings; their chemistry is easy and mesmeric. An early montage of their first thirteen days in isolation expertly highlights the similarities and differences between the two. This sequence cuts through the need for clunky exposition and catches up the audience to the status quo. On the 13th night, the montage ends, and it is here that the viewer is given the full details of their relationship. It sets the tone well, as from the next morning, things get weird. Paranoia and mistrust begin to flood the brother and sister, and as they try to work out how to save themselves from their tormentors, Things Will Be Different gets really interesting.
As with the films of Moorhead and Benson, Things Will Be Different is a science-fiction story that looks entirely unlike traditional films in the genre. That the whole film unfolds in a rural farmhouse setting is unusual and makes for a more visually rich and stimulating spin on science-fiction. The isolated setting feeds into the out-of-time element of the plot and casts the viewer adrift within the world alongside Joseph and Sidney. From witnessing Felker’s visual style, it is quickly easy to spot why Rustic Films opted to help Things Will Be Different. The cohesion of Felker’s film and the company runs deeper than simply Felker is their friend. Things Will Be Different fits in with Rustic Films visually, tonally and thematically, making it a perfect addition to their slate.
Given Felker’s clear talent behind the camera, it might be time for Moorhead and Benson to start looking for another editor. Felker has a keen eye, deft talent for dialogue – following the mantra that less is more – and the ability to convey so much in a single shot. With Things Will Be Different, Felker can stand proud of his feature debut, which is a thing of beauty.
Things Will Be Different
Summary
After viewing Things Will Be Different, it quickly becomes clear just why Felker, Moorhead and Benson have been such long -time collaborators. Things Will Be Different shares clear DNA with the directing duo’s work, but is very much its own engagingly unique creation.
Things Will Be Different was reviewed at SXSW 2024.
